Egg donation

Egg donation in Serbia is allowed until the age of 50.

In most European countries, the law allows monetary compensation for time, absence from work and possible additional expenses. This compensation amounts to 500-1000 EUR. In the USA, female donors are paid and this amount is around 5000 US dollars.

Egg donation in Serbia is anonymous. A couple who receives an egg cell and a child born after the IVF procedure with a donated egg cell does not have the right to know the identity of the donor. In some countries, the procedure is not anonymous and the child has the right to know the identity of the donor when he/she turns 18, if he/she wishes.

Republic Fund of Health Insurance covers all the costs of transporting 6 eggs from abroad and the procedures that can be done with those cells. In practice, this means that after thawing the eggs and the fertilization, one transfer is done with a fresh embryo and possibly another one with frozen embryos, if there are any. All procedures at the expense of the RFZO are performed until the woman reaches the age of 45. For example, if the embryo from the donation process is frozen before the age of 45, and the embryo transfer of the frozen embryo is done after the age of 45, the Republic Fund of Health Insurance does not cover the costs of the frozen embryo.

If the procedure is financed by the Republic Fund of Health Insurance, one couple receives 6 frozen eggs. In self-funded patients, one couple receives 3-9 eggs. The chance of success increases with the number of eggs.

The risk of eggs not surviving thawing is 5-30%, depending on the quality of the eggs, as well as the technique of freezing and thawing the eggs.

The egg donor undergoes a detailed medical evaluation, analyses all chromosomes (karyotype) and is tested for cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy and deafness. The risk for a genetic disease cannot be completely ruled out, just as it cannot be ruled out even after a spontaneous pregnancy.

All embryos that meet the quality are frozen, provided that the woman receiving the eggs gives written consent.

The expected success rate after IVF with donated eggs per transfer is around 50-60%, but there are large variations from country to country and from clinic to clinic.

The number of IVF attempts with donated eggs is not limited and the assessment is individual. Republic Fund of Health Insurance finances one fresh embryo transfer and transfers of frozen embryos if there are any. The number of attempts for self-financing couples depends on economic possibilities, the age of the woman and the health condition of both partners. The upper limit for the egg donation process in Serbia is 50 years.

Pregnancy after IVF with donated eggs carries an increased risk of:

• bleeding after childbirth and the need for blood transfusion;
• premature birth:
• high blood pressure and preeclampsia in pregnancy;
• diabetes during pregnancy.

A twin pregnancy further increases the risk for pregnancy complications.

IVF with donated eggs can be done with fresh oocytes and then it is necessary to synchronize the stimulation of the donor with the preparation of the endometrium of the woman receiving the oocytes. Donation with fresh egg cells is currently not done in Serbia, although it is allowed by law.

According to the law in Serbia one donor can donate eggs for one couple. In most countries where donation is done, one donor can donate eggs for 4-6 couples.

A donor can only donate eggs to a person they know in countries where donation is not anonymous. The donor must go through the same process of evaluation and tests as when donating to an unknown woman.

Whether the parents will inform the child about the donation procedure depends on the parents and it differs a lot from country to country, that is, the mentality of the environment in which they live. The advantage of being informed is to eliminate the minimal risk that the child will later be in a relationship with a blood relative.

The woman receiving the eggs can choose the eye color, height and other physical characteristics as well as the education and hobbies (music, sports). After filling out the form, the inquiry is sent to the Egg bank, which selects the donor according to the required characteristics. Sometimes not all conditions are met, so the woman or the couple decides for themselves whether to accept the procedure with the available characteristics of the donor.

The advantage of IVF with donated eggs compared to IVF with own oocytes is only in women who have a clear indication:

• in women with Turner syndrome;
• in women in premature menopause;
• in women older than 43-44 years;
• in women who have a genetic disease, and it is not possible to perform a pre-implantation genetic analysis;
• after several failed IV procedures;
• in women who have had their ovaries removed.
• in women who had cytostatic therapy and radiation that led to cessation of ovarian function.

The risk of one donor's offspring becoming partners is very small, even in countries where one donor can donate eggs to 6 couples. In order to further reduce that risk, in some countries (Sweden, Great Britain, Switzerland) the donation is not anonymous, that is, children at the age of 18 can find out the identity of the donor.

An egg donor has a risk of hyper stimulation syndrome (which is very rare today). The risk of bleeding and infection after egg aspiration is less than 1%. Donor women go through a process of psycho-education where emotional, legal and ethical aspects are analyzed. One donor can donate eggs more than once and this will not reduce her ovarian reserve, nor will she enter menopause earlier.